Scripture explains that the problem in the world is US. People cringe in horror at seemingly random acts of dispicable horrific violence. But "as a man thinks in his heart so he is.” Think on evil and evil actions will result.
they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” (2 Peter 3:5-6)
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (Gen 6:5-7)
“As a man thinks in his heart so he is.”
(heart meaning not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.)
The propensity to do great evil is in all of us.
“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Jesus the Christ Mark 7:21-23)
“As a man thinks in his heart so he is.”
We are in a war for our minds. There is great temptation from the world, the flesh and the devil. (we struggle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.) Our culture has put the blame upon everything but the truth. Morality matters.
But in our culture murder of the innocent unborn is sanctioned. Murder has become a virture, a sacrifice to the gods of choice and convenience. Modern day “Idol worship.” But it’s nothing new. God’s chosen people forgot their God and became just like the people around them.
They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
Thus they were defiled by their own works,
And played the harlot by their own deeds. (ps 106:36-38)
Without the God of Scripture in a persons life ( or nations) evil will be allowed to fester, propagate and eventually consume the individual (or nation)
“as a man thinks in his heart so he is”
Remember what Jesus said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
It is already there. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. We are born that way.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me. (Ps 51:5.. David understood it)
There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.(Romans 3)
Until a person understands this truth, if they think people are basically good and evil an aberration, that person is decieved by the god of this age, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the sons of disodedience, and is BY NATURE a child of God’s wrath.
I believe God has given our nation over to a wicked heart. We are a nation that needs desperately to humble ourselves before God, repent and turn from it’s evil deeds. (Romans 1:18-32) I fear for this nation for it does appear we are heading off the precipice into the pit of destruction. Or prehaps we’re already there. God has given us over to vile passions, God has given us over to a reprobate (that is a morally unprincipled; shameless) MIND.
What about you?
“As a man thinks in his heart so he is”
whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Phil 4:8-9)
Meditation is not an emptying of the mind. It is filling it with the truth of God.
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. (ps 119:11)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)
The word for “transformed” in the text , used in the original language of the Bible is “methomorpho” from which we get the english word metamorphosis: a complete change, such as a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
In a Christians life this refers to “ sanctification.” What is that you say?
“The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more.” (Matthew Henry)
This begins with an individual confessing, believing, repenting and trusting in the only name under heaven by which we can be saved. From ourselves and the wrath of God. (John14:6; Acts 14:12)
Without Christ we are enemies of God, at enmity (we HATE God.) And will recieve His justice.
I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
“As a man thinks in his heart so he is.”
